A Long Year
by 4laue
Summary: Elizabeth needs Jack's help to save WIll, but as usual Jack isn't ready to help others for free. The price? She must stay on board and do all he asks of her for a year. It is looking out to be a long year!
1. Chapter 1

Elizabeth was walking down the badly lit alleys leading to the docks, the rain kept pouring, causing her to be soaked. Tortuga was definitely one of the ports she like the least, but she had heard rumours that _he_ was leaving tonight. She continued walking, taking in her surroundings. She wasn't alone in the alley, in front of her stood a woman with messy hair, wearing a slightly unbuttoned dress, slowly walking over to a man holding coins in his hand.

She felt disgusted by what she saw in the alleys, like she was seeing everything that she was shielded from living in the governor's house. As she stepped over a man passed on the ground, she started to see the docks take form at the end of the alley. She put her hand on her corset, where a knife was hidden, and started to walk faster, worried that she might not make it in time.

Stopping at the alley to look to her left and right, Elizabeth smiled as she saw the ship she was looking for. She struggled to make her way through the small crowd of people loading things onto the Black Pearl. As she came closer to the ship, a strong odour of Rum and sea water started to form, a smell that she knew only to well.

"The twenty pirates were looking at me in wonder, blades and pistols still pointed at me head" Elizabeth heard a very familiar voice say. She smiled and continued to make her way through the pirates going from the port onto the ship, this time concentrating on following the voice she had just heard.

"And that's when I told 'em: 'there is one thing you must never forget mates: I'm...'"

"Captain Jack Sparrow" Elizabeth finished as she arrived behind him.

"Elizabeth!" he exclaimed with a smile as he turned around. The blond woman he was talking to turned around and started to speak with a man who was on his way to loading a crate onto the ship.

Jack's eyes grew wider as he looked at Elizabeth. She was different from what she looked like when he last saw her the year before, when he had escaped a hanging in Port Royal. She was wearing a cream coloured dress, with a tight corset that accentuated perfectly her bust. Jack's eyes lingered there for a moment before his stare continued rising. Her hair was loose, but in a way that showed that it used to be pinned up, but fell because of the pouring rain, which caused her hair to be wet and to stick to her face, her beautiful face. Something wasn't right, she looked troubled.

"Oh Jack" she sighed as she sat down on one of the crates in front of the ship. "I came here because I really need your help".

"So it wasn't just to see me?" exclaimed Jack as he theatrically put his hand on his chest, pretending to be surprised. He gave her a small smile and sat down next to her on the crate. "What's the matter luv?"

"It's Will, he's been kidnapped" she exclaimed as her eyes filled with tears.

"Do not cry Elizabeth, it does not suit you" started Jack, obviously feeling uncomfortable. "It's a shame that poor Will is gone, but I do not see what I can do about it", he continued as he started to get up, off the crate.

"Please Jack" Elizabeth exclaimed as she grabbed his arm, stopping him from being fully able to get up. "He's on the Island of the Dead, him and Commodore Jackson's crew are kept there by it's inhabitants. We need to save him". Jack raised his eyebrow when Elizabeth said "we".

"That's all very well" he sighed freed his arm from her grasp and started to walk away.

"Please Jack, I am begging you, I would do anything to get Will back safe and sound" she exclaimed as she got up too.

At the mention of the word "anything" Jack stopped dead on his track and turned to face her, a sceptical look on his face. "Do you realize what you just said Miss Swan?" he asked.

Elizabeth looked taken aback at first, but then answered: "Of course I do, I would do anything for Will".

"And you know that this agreement would mean that you have to do anything and everything that I ask of you?" he asked. After taking a deep breath, Elizabeth nodded, keeping her eyes on the ground.

Jack seemed to be thinking it over for a moment, but after a short reflection he started to turn, and slowly walk away.

"Jack!" Elizabeth yelled out, as she lounged forward and grabbed his arm, making him turn around and look at her. "I am offering you anything you want, I can't give you anything more!". She thought that she had perceived a gleam of annoyance in his eyes, but it was gone as fast as it had appeared.

"I will have you know Miss Swan, that though the reward is very interesting, it is only as good as long as it lasts. And though you give me your word, there is nothing that assures me that you won't break it once you get what you want".

"I'll give you these" she answered desperately, handing Jack a folded piece of paper that she had retrieved from up one of the sleeves of her dress.

Jack took a moment to look over the paper before he said "A full pardon for a mister William Turner, I guess I'll be keeping this". He put the piece of parchment paper in the inside pocket of his vest. "This takes care of you keeping your word but what about the duration?".

"Jack, were wasting time! I'll spend the night with you, but we need to leave now!" Elizabeth blurted out as she grabbed him by the shoulders.

He looked at her with a smirk on his face, and answered: "Though I am sure that would be delightful, that is not nearly enough for me to risk my life. Have a great life". He slowly turned around to face a large pirate with a white beard who was loading things onto the ship, a little farther away. "Mister Gibbs, get ready to leave". Jack then started to walk away as Gibbs shouted "Aye Captain" .

Elizabeth watched him walk away in horror. Not willing to let her last hope of saving Will. "A week!" she called out.

Jack continued to walk away, pretending he hadn't heard anything, and stopping here and there to give instructions to the crew members.

"A month" tried Elizabeth.

Though she knew he had heard her, but she watched as he started to go up the wooden ramp connecting the ship to the port.

Elizabeth stopped at the bottom of the ramp, looking up to jack with pleading eyes. "One year" she called out in a final attempt. jack stopped dead on his tracks, and turned around to face Elizabeth. He has a big smile on his face as he declared "Welcome aboard Miss Swan.

* * *

This is the first Jack/Elizabeth fanfiction that I write, I have the first few chapters planned out, all I have to do now is to write them out (as usual, I always like suggestions). The story is rated M for chapters to follow. Please leave a review letting me know what you think about the story so far and what you think should happen next. Reviews always motivate me to write more and quicker!


	2. Chapter 2

The ship was filled with constant movements as the crew members moved from one side of the sip to the other, performing various tasks. Elizabeth sat in the study, a quill in her hand and a piece of parchment before her. She was lost in her thoughts; she had just finished writing a letter destined to William and had given her mind permission to wonder. Her thoughts were however disturbed by a knock at the door. She made sure the piece of parchment was neatly folded and hidden in her corset before she said "Enter".

Jack walked in and sat beside her on a wooden chair. "We will reach shore soon" he said in a serious manner.

Elizabeth only nodded looking at the floor. Her face stern as she got up and turned away from Jack, looking out the window. The dark skies and grey clouds did not help the anxiety she felt inside, as if the weather was determined to reflect her mood. She heard the sound of a chair moving and approaching footsteps but she did not turn around, because she knew it was Jack and couldn't look into the eyes of the man whom she was forced to obey for the next year.

The footsteps stopped only a feet or two away from her and she heard Jack whisper: "You know it's not to late to let it all go. You could pretend you didn't know anything and just go back home, away from the danger".

Elizabeth was confused about why Jack would possibly ask her if she wanted to leave. Was it because he didn't want Will to be saved? Or maybe it was because he was scared to go an the island? Was he genuinely concerned on the affect this trip might have on her?

She did not have much time to contemplate Jack's motives, for at that precise moment a man burst into the room, clearly out of breath. He had shaggy brown hair that stopped just before his shoulders and was wearing an old white blouse that had seen better days. Over all he was pretty handsome in a rugged way. The only thing that took away from his charm was the abashed look on his face. In his hurry he had not thought about knocking, and was clearly regretting this decision as he saw the startled look on Elizabeth and Jack's face, who had both turned around in surprise.

"Uh, Captain" started the young man, unsure. "We have arrived".

"Jack nodded and looked back at Elizabeth before he followed the man out the door and onto the deck. She waited by the railing of the ship, looking at the island, while Jack gave out orders to the crew members. She did not know how long it had been, but suddenly the crew passed by her and jumped over the railing, sword in hand.

As more and more of them passed by, she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Jack. He looked worried as he handed her a sword reluctantly.

"Take this, you may need it to defend yourself in case someone comes on board. Don't worry, we'll free him".

Elizabeth grabbed the sword eagerly as she lifted herself over the railing. "It's Will, I am not staying behind" she declared as she let herself fall onto the sand.

Jack sighed, rolled his eyes and followed her, sword in hand.

It took a while for the crew to make their way through the palm trees. They walked together in silence, swords raised, expecting an attack, but it never came. They eventually reached the center of the island. Slowly, they circled around an area where most of the trees had been cut down to allow the building of a camp site. Amidst the homemade huts where ten men tied together around a large tree. Among them was Will, unconscious with his chin resting on his chest. There were few inhabitants around them, most of which were unharmed, clearly not expecting to be attacked on an island where no stranger usually dared step foot on.

Jack shouted "Now!", and members of the crew rushed from everywhere towards the campsite. What happened next was a blur; some were attacking, some were untying and some were going through the tents looking for loot.

In a few minutes, Jack's crew and the crew they had just rescued made their way back through the many trees, towards the two ships. Soon both crews were aboard their ships, with the exception of Elizabeth and Jack who were on _The Journey, _Commodore Jackson's ship. The Commodore was thanking Jack, while Elizabeth sat besides Will's unconscious body, which had been carefully laid down on a cot.

"We have to go now" called Jack.

Elizabeth turned to look at Jack and then back to Will. She started to feel the tears trying to push their way out of her eyes, but she held them back. She slip a letter into one of his interior coat pockets, kissed his forehead tenderly and got up. She tried to make herself feel better through the knowledge that her dear William would only be on the run for another year.

Slowly, she started walking away, from the ship and from any chance she had of freedom. Though there were only a few steps separating the two ships, it felt like if it was miles. Every step she took brought her farther from Will and closer to Jack. They both waived at the Commodore as they got onto Jack's ship, Elizabeth well aware that her feet would not be touching solid ground for a year.

_I am aware that this took a while to come out, and I would like to say that I have already started writing the third chapter. I also know that there was not much __**Jack/Elizabeth **__in this chapter, but I will try to make up for it in the next!_

_Please feel free to leave a review, telling me what you thought of the story so far, what improvements you think I could make and where you would like the story to go next (any suggestions on the plot is always taken in consideration). I was also thinking about posting Elisabeth's letter to Will, please tell me if you would rather I post that or another chapter._

_Thank You for your support!_

_4laue_


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